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A woman convicted of adultery has been spared execution by stoning after Iran backed down in the face of rising international outrage.

A statement issued by the Iranian embassy in London said that 'according to information from the relevant judicial authorities in Iran [Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani] will not be executed by stoning'.

But it did not say whether Ms Ashtiani, a mother-of-two, would be spared or executed by hanging instead.

Mohammed Mostafaei, the 43-year-old's lawyer, told The Times: 'This is a positive development but nothing is clear yet.

'There have been cases in Iran of stonings being changed to hangings.

Read more: //www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1293297/World-fury-forces-Iran-spare-adulterous-mother-stoned.html#ixzz0tAxvke00